Bacon and Goat Cheese Stuffed Sweet Pepper Poppers are an easy, warm appetizer recipe. Perfect for parties and get-togethers!
Got your next girl’s night/wine-night-posing-as-a-book-club/movie night/literally any occasion, must-try, totally addicting little appetizer recipe — Bacon and Goat Cheese Stuffed Sweet Pepper Poppers.
This easy, warm appetizer recipe takes MINUTES to put together, and will disappear even faster!
Watch How to Make Them!
Quick and Easy Appetizer Recipe
If you like the idea of jalapeno poppers but don’t enjoy getting your face blasted off after eating a few, these goat cheese, cream cheese, and bacon stuffed MILD mini peppers drizzled with sweet chili sauce are going to become your new go-to appetizer.
We’re talking savory, sweet, and cheesy, plus they go from fridge to mouth in just 20 minutes. YES!
Patio season is quickly approaching and a platter of sweet pepper poppers is the perfect accompaniment to a good patio hang.
The warm cheese, crisp peppers, and savory/sweet combo of bacon and sweet chili sauce would go perfectly with a cold glass of Sauv Blanc, cocktail or a mocktail. Let’s get poppin’!
Step 1: Prep the mini peppers.
Start by slicing mini sweet peppers in half lengthwise then remove any seeds. There’s usually not too many in these little guys.
Place the mini pepper halves face up on a foil lined baking sheet then set them aside.
Step 2: Mix up the filling.
In a mixing bowl add plain goat cheese and 1/3 less-fat cream cheese — both softened to room temperature — plus garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper then mix until smooth.
Next add chopped cooked bacon then stir to combine.
Step 3: Stuff the peppers then broil.
Scoop the filling to the tops of the pepper halves then smooth with the back of a spoon.
Finally, place an oven rack in the center of your oven then broil on high for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and the pepper halves are a tiny bit tender.
If the cheese doesn’t start to brown in a minute or so, move the rack up so the pepper halves don’t become too tender. You still want them to have a little bit of bite.
Transfer the stuffed mini pepper poppers to a platter then sprinkle with another slice of chopped bacon and serve with a cup of sweet chili sauce for dunking. What’d I tell you – 20 minutes and you’re in and out!
This is also a great appetizer recipe to take over to a friend’s house to cook on the spot since they only take a few minutes. Just cover the stuffed peppers on the baking sheet with saran wrap then pop under the broiler once you arrive.
Voila – hot, fresh, and totally addicting Bacon and Goat Cheese Stuffed Sweet Pepper Poppers. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 8 mini sweet peppers, sliced in half lengthwise then seeded
- 4 oz goat cheese, softened
- 4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper
- 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled and divided
- 1/2 cup sweet chili pepper sauce
Directions
- Place oven rack in center position then preheat broiler. Cover a baking sheet with foil then arrange sweet pepper halves on top.
- In a medium-sized bowl stir together goat cheese, cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper until smooth. Add 3/4 of the bacon then stir to combine. Fill pepper halves to the top with the cheese mixture, smoothing the tops with the back of a spoon.
- Broil for 3-4 minutes watching very carefully to avoid burning then transfer poppers to a platter and sprinkle with remaining bacon. If cheese doesn't begin to brown within a minute or two, move rack up (you just don't want to overcook the pepper halves.) Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
OMG!!! These totally ROCK!! I made half a batch for my main entree at dinner tonight along with a salad and my husband took one bite of these and my entree disappeared! These are so unbelievably good, but I also think the best part is the Sweet Chili Sauce. I made my own low carb version with sugar free orange marmalade and a habanero pepper (among other ingredients) and the sweet heat combined with the tangy goat cheese and bacon flavors are one of a kind! I can’t wait to take them as appetizers to our next family get-together. I will be quadrupling the recipe! Thank you so very much!
Oh awesome! I’m so glad you liked them, Patty, and your sauce sounds fabulous!! :)
I made these a few weeks ago for a party with friends and it was a huge hit. Making them again today for the SuperBowl – Go PATS!!
Just made these for a snack for my husband and me – they are awesome! We both love them. Tons of flavor! Thanks! I’ll make these again.
These are an awesome appetizer. Super easy and a huge hit!!! Thank you!!!
So glad you loved them – they are one of my favorites!!
I made and served these at my son’s wedding in August. They were a huge hit, both hot and cold. I’m taking them to a party this evening, too….
So glad you love them so much, Janice! Thanks for the great feedback!
Brilliant! Thank you….
Did you make the sweet pepper sauce or buy it?
I bought it!
These are AMAZING! I could have ate the entire batch myself! I have always made the traditional jalapeno poppers but these are easier and taste better!
I’m so glad you loved them as much as I do! Thanks for the feedback! :)
These were absolutely wonderful!!! I also am not a fan of goat cheese so I substituted farmer’s cheese which is a cow’s milk cheese and has a tang similar to goat cheese. These are so addicting!! Thanks Kristin for a keeper!
Love it!! So glad you were able to adapt for your tastes – thanks for the feedback, Debi!
I have always wanted to make something with these little peppers and now I found the perfect recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Danni
ww.activehabitat.blogspot.com
I buy a bag of these nearly every week and think to myself, “these would be fun to stuff!” Yet I’ve never actually done it. And now you’ve gone and done it with goat cheese sooo it’s gotta happen now!!
Made them tonight! Two thumbs up! Thanks for a great recipe!
Awesome!! So glad you liked them, Denise!
When did you stop hating bell peppers? Weren’t these on your most-hated list? I could have sworn…
But seriously, these and mushrooms! I am very pleasantly surprised!
You are right!! ;) Mushrooms and bell peppers on are the “like” list now – cooked carrots are still (forever) on the NO WAY list.